430 
nent the general 1s beaten, and the 
dlarni bell rung, to roufe the inhabitants 
the moment when any Ganger from fire 
appears. In Paris no tuch precautions 
are ufed, for this plain reafun, lett the 
pickpockets and the rabble in general 
thould thereby be invited to repair to the 
f{pot. 
The writer, ftruck with the immenfe 
advantages derived by the inhabitants of 
Paris from a company of firemen, who 
act with fuch ‘waaeh e fuccefs, thought 
tt worth while to enquire mto the hiffory 
of the Corps des Pompiers at Panis. He 
lays the refute of his enquiries betore the 
public, hoping that at will be found to 
contain fome ufeful information, 
Before the people of Paris entertained 
vege idea of the utility of fire-engines, the 
frequent conflagrations cauted fach havoc 
in their city, that it was no unufual oc- 
currence to behold vot only fireets but 
entire diviliens or wards laid 3 in afhes. 
¥rom Felibien’s Hiftory of Paris, we may 
lear that on the breaking cut of a tre, 
inftead of deviime nreans to extinguilh it, 
the faints were implored ivr their power- 
ful affiftance. All forts of incantations 
were-relorted to ; and in general the de- 
vouring flames were not arrefted, tll ie 
tutelary faint pronounced his wee’ or, 
other words, till the fury of the fire i 
with fome obftacle. 
Francois du Perrier, 4 player of Pa- 
ris, having miade a tour ehirthiot Holland 
atid Germany, and learned there the ufe 
of fire-engines, brought models of them 
back with him to France. Immediately 
on his return he communicated this new 
invention to the government, who grant- 
ed him letters patent, dated October 12, 
1699, by which he was authorifed exclu- 
fively, to manufacture and fell fire-en- 
gines throughout France. From th 
wording of the patent it may be inferred, 
that, before that period, the people of 
Paris had only ufed buckets to extinguith 
houfes on fire; it is alfa probable, “that 
the firft fire-en: eines had no’ carriages, as 
they were fiyled pompes portatives, or 
portable pumps. 
Tn the year 1703, a new eftablifhment 
of fire-engine s Is eecarded: which was 
placed under the direction of Du Perrier. 
It vonlifted of twenty engines, for which 
he was allowed 6900 livres per annum, on 
condition that be fhould keep the e: aeanies 
in thorough repair, and pay two an: d thir- 
ty firernen a fit amounting annually to 
2,400 livres. He engaged, befides, to pro- 
vide for every fireman a bonnetor hel met, 
in order te their being eaer difingu 
rst ihe 
Account of the Company of Firemen at Paris. 
- Ing implements were to be kept: 
{June fl, 
ed; and to inftruct them in every thing 
that related to the art of quickly ‘fabdu- 
ing great fires, as well as to aflix in pub- 
hie places a litt of eugine-houles, and of 
the firemen dwelling ia the in needa vi- 
emity of them. ‘Government, howey fer, 
referved the privilege of examining fre-+ 
quently into the {tate of the engines; and 
difns iffing fuch of the firemen as were 
found either not to have received adequate 
inftruction, er to have been from home 
on the breakmeg out of any conflagration. 
Inthe year °17225 the fire-engines at 
Paris were augmented to thirty and the 
fircimen to fixity: ‘the latter received alfo 
particular drefles, befides the helmets bes 
fore mentioned: Du Perrier undertook 
to ettablifh eight engine-ofiices in difter- 
ent parts of the city, where the follow- 
viz. fix- 
teen loug ladders; fixteen long eables ; 
fixteenlarge i iron hook ss, for the purpofe of. 
pulling down houfes,. if neceffary ; thirty 
pickaxes; thirty ihovels ; thirty ayes; thir- 
ty lron crows, to pull up the pavement; 
thirty long chilels, to opeu the water-pipes 
lying uader the payement. The engines, 
together with the neceflary earriages 
to forward them, were to be kept in 
thirty locked fheds. To enable Du Per- 
rier to meet all thefe expences, he was to 
receive the fum of 40,000 livres, and an- 
tually 20,000 livres. His fon fueceeded 
fifth m the fuperintendance of the fire- 
engines.of Paris. In the courfe of time 
this eftablifhment was conliderably im- 
proved; and, in the revolutionary year 7, 
when the company of firemen ‘received 
a new organization, all its former regu- 
lations were confirmed. 
As foon as a fire breaks out in Paris, 
every citizen is not only authorized, but 
bound, to call the firemen of the next {ta- 
tion. ‘There are forty-one ftations, dif 
tributed in all the quarters of the city, 
Every inhabitant knows them, as a lit 
of ther is printed annually and fiuck up 
in public places; befides, they are eatily 
found, having the following infcription 
pa ‘inted on them in large letters: Secours 
peur les incendies, (Aflittance i in cafe of 
fire). 
On the firf intelligence of a fire, the 
fuperintendant of the fiation haftens with 
his en'to the fpot, taking along with him 
the perfon who commun seated the intel 
hgence ; for if it fhould turn out to be 
unfounded, cither from wanton m fchief, 
or any other motive, the informant is 
detained: a very proper precaution, fince 
oie perions might, for dnifter 
vet poi ; concert a icheme for ¢ affembling 
al} 
